The Way I Was
by SeaBreeze0384
Summary: Genevieve Harris grew up with the Dixons. Daryl was her best friends. Gen was in Atlanta when the world went to hell. What happens when she finds Merle injured in the city? The two team up and go through numerous trails. Some of which change Gen forever. (AU, Eventual meet up with the group, Daryl/OC)
1. Chapter 1

Genevieve 10 years old

"Gen! Time to get ready for school!", my dad yelled up the stairs at me.

I yawned and rolled over pulling the blankets with me. I hated waking up for school in the morning. This morning it was worse than normal. It was my first day in a new school.

My family had recently moved back to my dad's hometown. Mom and dad seemed to think that it would be better for me to go to school here than in the city. They were worried about the rise in violence that was happening in the bigger towns. So they packed us up and moved us to the middle of nowhere.

I was not happy about the move. I had very few friends at my old school, mostly because I didn't like to be around too many people. It isn't that I am overly shy or anything. In fact it is the opposite, I am really talkative and outgoing. I just don't like small talk or new people. So, the idea of going to a new school and being surrounded by a ton of kids that I didn't know was going to kill me.

"Genevieve Rose Harris! Get up now or you are going to be late!" My dad yelled.

"Okay, okay! I'm up!"

Deciding that it was pointless to wait any longer, I got ready for the day. After getting dressed, and brushing my hair and teeth, I headed downstairs so that I could eat breakfast.

My mom was rushing around the kitchen trying to get the pancakes and stuff on the table. This was a recent idea of hers. She thought that we should start eating breakfast as a family. I personally thought that it was a dumb idea. Both of my parents had full time jobs and I had school. This was just going to make things even more hectic in the morning, but if she wanted to, I sure wasn't going to argue with her.

"Gen, honey, could you please grab the syrup from the fridge?"

I grabbed the syrup and sat down at the table just as my mom had finished getting all the food on the table. My dad soon sat down and joined us. We almost immediately started eating. It was about time for us to leave. I hurried and scarfed down my plate full of food. This earned me a disapproving look from my mom, but I just grinned and got up from the table. I put my plate in the sink and grabbed my backpack.

"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" I yelled as I was getting ready to walk out the door.

"Hang on a minute and I will give you a ride." My dad said. "There is some paperwork I have to drop off at the school."

* * *

"Class, this is Genevieve Harris. She just moved here from Savannah." my new teacher, Mrs. Ammon, announced.

After the oh so glorious and embarrassing introduction, I looked down and made my way to the back of the classroom. I sat down at a desk in the back row next to a boy who seemed to be more in his shoes than what the teacher was saying.

I turned towards the front and listened to Mrs. Ammon as she gave us a lesson on sentence structure. Having already learned all of this at my previous school, I soon found myself drowning out her voice and observing my surroundings. I found the boy next to me to be quite interesting.

He was wearing a torn plaid shirt and dirty jeans. His messy hair was a sandy blond color. He wasn't paying attention to the teacher either. Instead he seemed to be scratching at his desk with a small pocketknife. It was when he looked up and caught me staring at him that I noticed he had really pretty blue eyes. I know you aren't supposed to call boys pretty, but he was. He wasn't pretty in a girly way by any means, but he wasn't ugly either.

"Daryl Dixon! Is that a knife?" The Mrs. Ammon yelled, managing to startle us both. "Go to the principles office right this instant."

With one last look at me, the boy, Daryl, I guess his name is, got up and walked out of the classroom. As soon as he was out the door, Mrs. Ammon went right back to teaching.

* * *

Lunchtime rolled around and I found myself looking for somewhere to sit. A couple of kids had asked me to join them, but I was too uncomfortable with the idea of sitting with people I didn't know. I glanced around the lunchroom and finally noticed a table off to the side with no one sitting at it. I quickly made a beeline for the table and hoped that no one would decide to sit with me.

As I sat there and ate my lunch, I zoned out and started thinking about my friends Reed and Jackson. My parents didn't quite like the idea that I my only two friends were boys, but they eventually realized that I didn't care. The three of us were constantly getting in trouble at my old school. We were smart kids, too smart according to some people. I remember one day in third grade, when we managed to sneak into the storage room in the gym. We stole a bunch of the rubber balls used in PE and started a game of doge ball in the cafeteria. We were given detention for two weeks. It was worth it though. I really did miss those two. Maybe I could talk my parents into having them come and visit this summer, or maybe I could go and visit them.

I was interrupted from my thinking, when someone pulled out a chair and sat across from me. It was Daryl.

"You are sitting at my table." He said.

"Sorry." I said. "I didn't know where else to sit." I don't know why but I was already comfortable talking with him. Daryl didn't exactly remind me of Reed and Jackson, but I could tell he didn't beat around the bush.

"Why didn't ya sit with the other kids?" He asked me.

"I don't like very many people." I replied back honestly. " I only had two friends, Jackson and Reed, at my old school."

Daryl looked me over before replying. "Ya ain't like most girls are ya?"

I just shook my head before going back to eating. Daryl stared at me for a few more seconds before he ate as well.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Daryl and I developed an odd sort of friendship. We would eat lunch together everyday. At first there wasn't a lot of talking, but eventually we both began to open up to one another. I told him about getting into trouble with Reed and Jackson. He told me stories about hunting and stuff with his older brother Merle. I talked about my parents and their weird habits. He didn't talk about his parents very often, but I didn't push him for information. If he didn't want to tell me, I was okay with it.

One week Daryl didn't show up to school. I was starting to get worried about him, so I asked my dad if he knew anything about the Dixon family. My dad gave me a strange look and asked me why I wanted to know. I told him about Daryl and that I was worried because he hadn't been to school in a long time. My dad sighed and put down his newspaper. Then he proceeded to tell me that Daryl's momma died in a fire earlier that week.

* * *

Daryl showed up to school the next week. We didn't talk in class and at lunch he didn't go into the cafeteria. Instead he stayed in the classroom while everyone else left. I decided to stay behind with him.

Neither of us talked for a while and finally I looked at him. "I heard about your momma, Daryl. I'm sorry it happened."

Daryl stood up quickly almost tipping his desk over in the process. "Why do ya even care, huh? Ya just dumb and stupid. Why do I even hang out with ya? Ya don't even have any friends! Instead ya follow me around the school like some dumb dog. Just go away."

I knew he didn't really mean it and was just upset. I knew that sometimes people got angry and took it out on others. It hurt to hear him say these things, but I didn't leave. I sat there quietly as he calmed down. Daryl continued to glare and me and breath roughly from all the yelling he had just done, but eventually I could see his anger start to turn to sadness. I stood up then and wrapped my arms around him. Daryl tensed up for a little bit. After a while, he relaxed and returned my hug. He put his head on my shoulder and was really quiet, but I knew he was actually crying. He shoulders shook a bit and my shirt got slightly damp. I just stood there hugging him.

When Daryl stopped crying, he looked at me and asked if I was hungry. I nodded and we left to go get lunch.


	2. Chapter 2

Genevieve 15 years old 

"Evie, get beck here. You are going to get us caught." Daryl whispered from the bushes.

I grinned and looked back at him. "Does it look like I care? Besides, I have done this plenty of times. Now, watch and learn."

I made my way across the lawn, keeping low to the ground. It wasn't the first time that I had broken into the older cabin. I knew that the owners only came by on the weekends and that they had a simple lock on it. Picking the lock was easy, especially if you had the necessary tools. After looking around to make sure that no one was around, I made quick work of the lock and opened the door. I smiled and motioned for Daryl to join me.

Shaking his head he walked over carrying the bottle of Pendleton, that we had snuck from his dad's stash. Will Dixon spent most of his time drunk anyway and probably wouldn't notice that it was even missing. After Daryl's mom died, Daryl had told me about his dad and the things he did to him and Merle. I didn't like it, but Daryl kept telling me there was nothing I could do and wouldn't let me help other than giving him a place to crash when stuff got bad.

We closed the door behind us, and flopped down on the couch. Daryl opened the bottle and took a swig. When he was done, he passed it to me. I tipped the bottle back and swallowed a few times, before looking at Daryl.

"How do you know how to pick locks, an' why is this the first time you've brought me?"

I smirked. "Why? You upset that I kept this my little secret for a while?"

Daryl jokingly hit me on the arm.

"Okay, okay. So while I was back in Savannah last month, Reed taught me how to pick locks and gave me the kit. I have known about this cabin for years. My parents are friends with the owners and let us borrow it occasionally. It really wasn't that hard to break into."

Daryl shook his head again and took another drink. "One of these days you are gunna get us in trouble, Evie."

I shrugged. "Then I will take the blame. I will tell them I kidnapped you and held you at gunpoint. Then I made you do it with me, whatever it is we are doing if we get caught."

"More like when, ya delinquent." Daryl retorted.

"Speaking of delinquents, when is Merle getting back?" I asked while taking another drink.

"He should get back this weekend. We will probably go hunting or something when he gets here. You wanna go?"

I thought for a before nodding. It had been a while since I had hung out with Merle. The last time was two years ago before he left for the military. I got along fine with Merle, but I knew that depending on the day, he could be pretty bad. I just hoped that the military had helped with that.

Daryl grinned, when I agreed to go. He liked it when I went hunting with him. I didn't do it often, but when I did he got to show off and teach me how to do stuff. Last time, he was trying to teach me how to track. I struggled with it at first but I eventually caught on. I wasn't anywhere as good as Daryl, but I was still learning.

"This time I can show you how to use my new toy." Daryl stated proudly.

I looked over at him to see if he was serious. "You want me to learn how to use that big ass crossbow you got?"

"Hells yeah. Can't have you slacking off and letting me do all the work, now can I?"

"Dixon, you crazy bastard. I don't know how you expect me to lift that thing. It weights a ton!"

"Thing? How can you sit there and call her a thing. That crossbow is not a thing. She is an amazing and deadly work of craftsmanship."

I rolled my eyes. "Dear lord, you talk of it like it's your girlfriend. Don't tell me you named "her" as well."

Daryl avoided looking at me.

"You did! Didn't you?" I shouted with laughter.

"Shhhh. Damn girl, keep it down."

"So what did you name her?" I asked, still giggling.

"It don't matter."

"Oh come on! Tell me!"

Daryl was silent for a minute. I gave him my best puppy dog face. The one that I knew he couldn't refuse. Daryl sighed and took another drink before he finally replied.

"Vera."

This instantly sent me into another fit of giggles. I knew that the whiskey was starting to get to me. I swear I heard Daryl mutter the words "light weight" and shake his head, but I wasn't completely sure because I was laughing too hard. I laughed so long that Daryl was soon laughing along with me. I guess at me would be a better description, but I didn't care. It had been too long since we had last had this much fun.

The two of us finished off the bottle and fell asleep on the couch. We knew that our parents wouldn't be looking for us in the morning. My parents were usually too busy to keep track of me and Daryl's dad was usually too drunk to care.

* * *

"Hurry the fuck up love birds." Merle shouted back at us.

I rolled my eyes. No matter how many times we told Merle that were weren't dating he didn't believe us, so eventually we just let it go. It really didn't matter what Merle said.

Daryl and I hurried to catch up to Merle, walking as quietly as we possibly could, so as not to scare game away. I could move just as quietly as the Dixon brothers. I was pretty pleased with this fact considering that I wasn't necessarily a redneck. I had spent the first ten years of my life in the big city, after all. The last few years though, I had started to pick up some "hick" habits. I could tell that Daryl was pretty proud of this too.

When we had caught up to Merle, Daryl reached out and stopped me. He pointed to a spot in a clearing about five yards away. I looked to see what he was pointing at and saw a good-sized doe that was grazing.

Daryl held his crossbow out to me. I looked at him and shook my head. He saw this and rolled his eyes in response. Then he looked at me challengingly and mouthed the word "pussy". I glared at him and snatched the heavy ass weapon out of his hands. When I caught him grinning, I glared harder.

I got in position and lifted the crossbow aiming at the deer. I ignored Daryl and Merle behind me and concentrated solely on the doe. I concentrated on my breathing and made sure that my sights lined up. When I was confident in my aim, I exhaled and pulled the trigger releasing an arrow. At the same time, Merle lost his balance and stepped on a branch, scaring the doe and causing her to run off just narrowly avoiding the arrow.

I whirled around and glared at Merle. "What the hell, Merle?" I yelled.

Merle just shrugged. "Oops. Maybe next time sugar tits." He said, and continued on his way.

Daryl came over and took his crossbow back. He put his hand on my shoulder and grinned. "Maybe you should be teaching me how to use this and not the other way around. You would have gotten a kill shot if not for Merle."

I smirked. "Damn, right I would have. It's not like I don't know the basics when it comes to handling weapons thanks to you two. Speaking of which, I think for the rest of today, I will let you boys do the hunting."

"How come?" Daryl asked with a confused look on his face.

"Because," I said with a smile, "if I don't kill anything, I don't have to clean anything."

It didn't matter how many times I had hunted with them, I still didn't like to clean the kills. I was easily capable of cleaning them, I just didn't like to. Daryl knew this and teased me about it mercilessly. Last time the two of us had gone hunting, he took a squirrel's intestines and threw them in my hair. I freaked out and screamed making his neighbors come outside and see what was going on. Between me screaming and the confused and worried looks on their faces, Daryl was crying from laughter. When the couple figured out what was going on, they went back inside, neither of them particularly amused. This only made Daryl laugh harder. It was when he fell off the stump he was sitting on that I got up and kicked him. He promptly stopped laughing.

Daryl shook his head. "I still don't see why you are scared of a little blood."

"It's not the blood I am scared of." I responded. "I just don't like getting covered in organs."

Daryl scoffed. "You're still a pussy."

I hit him jokingly and stalked after Merle.


	3. Chapter 3

Genevieve 17 years old

I pulled up to the Dixon residence and was greeted with the sights and sounds of a full blown southern party. I put my little 1968 cherry red Chevy Camaro into park and got out. I grabbed the six-pack that I nabbed from my parents fridge and made my way to the door. I didn't bother knocking, knowing that no one would bother to open the door. Besides, the Dixon residence was a second home to me.

I pushed my way through the small crowd and headed to the kitchen. I had just managed to put the beer in the fridge when I felt a pair of giant arms wrap around my waist, lifting me and spinning me around.

"Well, looky here folks. Seems like my little brother's girlfriend decided to show up after all." Merle shouted.

After putting me down, I smacked Merle's chest. "Damn it Merle! You're lucky I didn't end up kicking your ass."

Merle just laughed in response, before walking away to join some of his friends. I grabbed a cup and filled it halfway full of Jack and topped it off with coke. I took a big gulp and started searching the crowd. Not finding the person I was looking for, I made my way through the house. I was stopped several times by people asking me how I have been. Quite a few were worried about me since my recent breakup with my cheating ex boyfriend, Jason. I caught him and the head cheerleader in the back seat of his truck, when I decided to surprise him for lunch the other day. Needless to say he wasn't the only one who was surprised.

I got side tracked many times and had drank four glasses of Jack and coke before I finally found who I was looking for.

I stumbled over to Daryl sitting on the back porch and plopped down next to him. Daryl looked over at me and smirked.

"How much have you had?"

"Just a little bit." I said with a hiccup, realizing that I was more drunk than I was letting on.

"Uh huh." Daryl said disbelievingly.

I nudged him. "So what's going on with you. Why aren't you inside with everyone else?"

He just shrugged in response, choosing not to give a verbal response. I looked at him closely. Everything was a little out of focus because of the alcohol pumping through my system, but knowing Daryl as well as I did, I could still tell that something was upsetting him.

"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong, Daryl?" I asked worriedly.

Daryl turned to look at me. Our eyes met and I could tell that he wanted to tell me something but was holding back. I grabbed his hand and scooted closer.

"Daryl, you know that whatever it is, you can tell me."

Daryl paused for another minute before he quietly mumbled. "I like this girl."

"So, why does that upset you?"

"She doesn't know."

"Have you told her?" I asked.

Daryl shook his head in response.

I chuckled softly. "Daryl, you have to tell her, or else she will never know."

He sat there in silence again.

"What's she like?"

"Strong, beautiful, independent, crazy, selfless, outgoing, smart. She has a habit of putting others before herself, and always goes for the guys that walk all over her."

"She sounds amazing, and is a really lucky girl if you feel like this about her. Any girl would be lucky to have you, Daryl."

He looked at me when I said this. The look he gave me was so intense it was a little dizzying in my drunken state.

"Ya mean that?" He asked me hesitantly.

I nodded. "Of course, you are my best friend, Daryl. You deserve a girl who can make you happy." I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder.

Daryl moved so that we were situated comfortably. The two of us sat there for a long time, staring out at the trees and listening to the sounds of the party and nature around us. It wasn't long before I found myself drifting off into a deep, alcohol induced sleep. I thought for a second I heard Daryl say the words " I love you, Evie.", but I was too far gone to be sure.

* * *

The next morning I woke up in Daryl's bed. I didn't remember half of what happened the night before, and the pounding in my head gave me a good idea as to why. I slowly rolled over to find that I was in the bed by myself. Daryl must have woken up and started the day already. God, his early riser habits made me sick. I couldn't see how anyone wilingly got up at a god forsaken time of day. I pulled Daryl's blankets back over my head and tried to go back to sleep.

Before I was lucky enough to manage this, Daryl opened the door and flopped down careleslly on the bed. I groaned in frustration and pain.

"Mornin' sunshine!" Daryl said cheerfully. Well, as cheerfully as he ever gets.

I grunted and pulled the blankets around me tighter. "Go away."

"Oh come on now. None of that. Ya got a lot to do today." Daryl said, while tugging at my blankets.

We pulled back and forth for a bit, before he finally was able to yank them off of me.

"Alright, alright. I'm getting up." I said. I stretched out on the bed and winced, when the light hit my eyes. After a few seconds I was able to sit fully up and look around. I got up and grabbed one of Daryl's sweat shirts since it was a bit chilly this morning.

I glanced at Daryl and noticed that he was giving me a funny look.

"What?" I asked defensively. "You're lookin' at me like I got drunk and made out with Merle last night." I chuckled at my joke for a bit before I snapped my head to look at Daryl again. "Please tell me I didn't make out with Merle last night."

Daryl shuffled his feet around and avoided looking at me. I was starting to get nervous and think that I really had done the unthinkable and let Merle Dixon stick his tongue in my mouth, when Daryl looked up and I caught the playful gleam in his blue eyes.

I grabbed his pillow off the bed and threw it at him. "God damn it, Daryl! You had me freaking out! Don't ever let me think that again!" I yelled with a slight shudder.

"So, you don't remember anythin' from last night?" Daryl asked.

I shook my head. "No. Why? Did something happen?"

Daryl paused and looked at me for a bit. It looked like he was contemplating something. In the end he just shook his head.

"Naw, now come on we got shit to do." He said before walking out the door.

I wondered what that was all about. Not coming up with any explanations, I gave up and followed him out the door.


End file.
